It was then moved, and seconded, that the consideration of the remaining articles in the report aforesaid, be referred over to the time when the Committee, on the same and other articles aforesaid, shall be ready to complete their report. Which motion, being withdrawn, it was moved, and seconded, that, Wednesday next, afternoon, 3 o'clock, be assigned for the consideration of the remaining articles in the said report, which, being put, passed in the affirmative.

It was then moved, and seconded, that the Convention be now adjourned to Monday next, at 3 o'clock, P. M. Which, being put, passed in the affirmative.

And the Convention was accordingly adjourned to that time.

Three o'clock, MONDAY P. M., 7th Feb. 1780.

The Convention met according to adjournment.

The rules and orders of the Convention were read, and the strict observance of them enjoined upon the members, by the President.

Moved and seconded, that a Committee be appointed to bring in such further rules and orders as may be necessary for the better conducting the debates of the Convention.

On a motion, made and seconded,

Voted, That the Committee consist of three.

A nomination being called for, the following gentlemen, viz: The Hon. Mr. PAINE,

Col. WILLIAMS, and

The Rev. Mr. THATCHER, were appointed.

The 4th section, 3d chapter, was then taken up, as next in the arrangement, and considered.

On a motion, made and seconded,

Voted, To consider the several Officers, mentioned in the article, distinctly.

Accordingly, the Secretary being put, it was

Voted, That he be elected as set forth in the article.

The Treasurer and Receiver General, the Commissary General, Notaries Public, and Naval Officers, being severally put, they were respectively voted to be elected as above.

The second paragraph was then read, and debated, when it was moved and seconded, that the word " five," be expunged, and the word "three " substituted in its stead, in the last line. Which, being put, passed in the negative.

It [was] then moved and seconded, that the word "four," be substituted in lieu of the word "five," aforesaid, which, being put, passed in the negative.

It was then moved, and seconded, that the article be now put. The article was accordingly put, and accepted without amend

ment.

The 2d article in the same section was then read,

Whereupon, moved and seconded, that, in all articles, in which the words "Governor and Council" shall occur, the consideration of the same shall be suspended, until the Convention shall consider and determine respecting their appointment to a share in the Government of this Commonwealth, and the article be considered and acted upon without them.

The article aforesaid was then put and accepted, with the suspension of the words aforesaid.

Reference being again had [to] the report of arrangement, the 5th article, 1st section, 3d chapter, was read, and the consideration of the same, on a motion, made and seconded, voted to be postponed.

The 1st article, 4th chapter, was then read.

On a motion, made and seconded,

Voted, to be taken up in paragraphs.

The 1st paragraph, as far as "Commissions," was read and accepted.

The 2d paragraph, being read and debated, on a motion, made and seconded,

Voted, That the further consideration of this article be postponed for the present.

The 3d article in the same section was then read.

On a motion, made and seconded,

Voted, That the words "each Branch of the Legislature," be

substituted in lieu of the word "Senate," and the words "Justices of the said Courts," in lieu of the word "Judges."

The 4th article was then read, and, on a motion, made and seconded,

Voted, to be considered in paragraphs.

The 1st paragraph, as far as "dates," was then read and accepted.

The 2d paragraph being read, it was moved, and seconded, that the words "and upon the expiration of any commission, the same, if necessary, may be renewed, or another person appointed," be substituted in the place of the words " and on the expiration of any Commission, the Governor, with advice and consent of Council, may renew such Commission, or, if neces

It was also moved, and seconded, that the words, " or before," be inserted between the word "on," and the words, "the ex

Which motions were severally debated, when the further consideration of them was postponed by a motion, made and seconded, that the Convention be now adjourned to to-morrow morning, at nine o'clock, which, being put, passed in the affirmative, and the Convention was adjourned accordingly.

TUESDAY MORNING, 9 o'clock. 8 Feb.

Met according to adjournment.

The Convention resumed the consideration of the 2d paragraph, in the 4th article, and 4th chapter, which, being read, and the amendment proposed, yesterday, that the words "the same, if necessary, be renewed, or another person appointed," be substituted in lieu of the words "the Governor and Council may, if necessary, renew such Commission, or appoint another person," being debated, the same was put, and accepted.

It was then moved, and seconded, that [the] words "or before," proposed yesterday, with the addition of the words "at least six months," viz: " or six months at least, before," be inserted between the words "on," and "the expiration," which, being put, passed in the negative.

The article was then put, with the amendments, and accepted. The 6th article in the same chapter, was then read, during the debates on which, the Rev. Mr. LEWIS was introduced, and read prayers with the Convention.

It was moved and seconded, that the several matters contained in the said article be determined by the Superior Court instead of the Governor and Council, and the Senate, respectively.

Which motion was superseded by a motion, made and seconded, that the further consideration of this article be postponed. Which, being put, passed in the affirmative.

The 1st article, in the 5th chapter, being then read, it was voted to take the same up in paragraphs.

The 1st paragraph, as far as the word "room," being read, it was on a motion, made and seconded,

Voted, That the word "annually," be transposed, so as to ⚫ stand after the word " November," in the 4th line.

The 2d paragraph being read, it was on a motion, made and seconded,

Voted, That the words "under the hand of the Governor," be omitted for the present; whereupon the article was put, with the omission aforesaid, and accepted.

The 2d article being read, and being amended as the last, was accepted.

The 5th article was then read, and voted to be postponed. The 2d paragraph, of the 6th article, was read, but the same having been committed, and the Committee not being ready to report, the same was voted to be passed over for the present.

The 7th article was read, and voted to be further postponed. The 3d article, in the 6th chapter, being read, the same was voted to be further postponed.

The 2d paragraph, 1st article, 2d section, 2d chapter, was then read, when a motion was made by the Hon. Mr. PICKEring, that a clause be introduced into this article, limiting the number, which no County or District shall exceed in the choice of Senators; whereupon, it was moved, and seconded, that Mr. PICKERING be desired to prepare a clause as aforesaid, and lay the same on the table; which, being put, passed in the affirma

The paragraph was then put, and accepted.

The 3d article, in the same section, was read, and voted to

be postponed.

Mr. PICKERING then reported the following clause, to be added to the 1st paragraph of the 1st article, aforesaid, viz.-And no District be so large as to entitle the same to choose more than six Senators.

Which, being put, was accepted, as an addition to the paragraph aforesaid.

On a motion, made and seconded,

Voted, That the Committee, upon the powers and privileges of the House of Representatives, take into consideration the privileges of the Senate, with their power of expelling their own members.

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The Committee appointed to prepare a declaration or test, &c. (see the votes of 4th inst.) reported the same as follows;Any person, chosen Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Counsellor, Senator, or Representative, or appointed to any Judicial, Executive, Military, or other Office, under the Government of this Commonwealth, shall, before he enters on the discharge of the business of his place or office, take and subscribe the following oath, viz.

I, A. B. do truly and sincerely acknowledge, profess, testify and declare, that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is, and of right ought to be, a free, sovereign and independent State; and I do swear, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the said Commonwealth, and that I will defend the same against all traitorous conspiracies and attempts whatsoever; and that I do renounce and abjure all allegiance, subjection and obedience to George the 3d, King of Great Britain, his heirs and successors, and every other foreign power whatsoever; and that no foreign Prince, Person, Prelate, State or Potentate, hath or ought to have any jurisdiction, superiority, preeminence, authority, dispensing or other power, in any matter, civil, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this Commonwealth, except the authority and power which is or may be vested by their constituents in the Congress of the United States. And I do further testify and declare, that no man or body of men hath or can have any right to absolve or discharge me from the obligations of this oath